On the basis of these data, it is concluded that balloon angioplasty is safe and effective in the treatment of native aortic coarctation; significant incidence of recoarctation is seen in neonates and infants; repeat balloon angioplasty for recoarctation is feasible and effective; and the time has come to consider balloon angioplasty as a therapeutic procedure of choice for the treatment of native aortic coarctation.

Since the first description of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in 1982 by Kan, the procedure has been extensively utilized by several groups of workers for relief of pulmonary valve stenosis. It is generally recommended that the procedure be performed for peak-to-peak gradients in excess of 50 mmHg. The technique involves positioning one or more balloon catheters across the stenotic valve, usually over an extra-stiff guide wire and inflating the balloons with diluted contrast material, thus producing valvotomy. The procedural details are described in this paper. The currently recommended balloon/annulus ratio is 1.2 to 1.25. Immediate reduction of gradient, increase in jet width and free motion of the pulmonary valve leaflets with less doming have been observed following balloon dilatation. Improvement of right ventricular function, tricuspid insufficiency and right-to-left shunt has also occurred. Complication can occur, but are rare and minimal. At mid-term follow-up, both catheterization measured peak-to-peak gradients and Doppler-measured peak instantaneous gradients remain improved for the group as a whole. However, restenosis, defined as gradient >or=50 mmHg, has been observed in nearly 10% of children. Predictors of restenosis include balloon/annulus ratio <1.2 and immediate post-valvuloplasty gradient >or=30 mmHg. Small pulmonary valve annulus, earlier study year and post-surgical complex pulmonary stenosis have also been identified as factors predictive of restenosis. Redilatation with balloons that are larger than those used at the time of initial balloon valvuloplasty produces excellent results and redilatation is the procedure of choice in the management of restenosis after previous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty. Long-term follow-up results are scanty, but the limited data reveal minimal additional restenosis, event-free rates in mid-80s and mid-70s at 10 and 15 years respectively and significant increase in prevalence of pulmonary insufficiency. Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is equally successful in neonates as well as in adult subjects. In conclusion, balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is the treatment of choice for relief of pulmonary valve stenosis. Use of balloons 1.2 to 1.25 times larger than pulmonary valve annulus may produce optimal results. Life-long follow-up to identify the significance of residual pulmonary insufficiency is indicated.

No abstract

Background-The results of immediate and short term follow up of balloon dilatation of the pulmonary valve have been well documented, but there is limited information on long term follow up. Objective-To evaluate the results of three to 10 year follow up of balloon dilatation of the pulmonary valve in children and adolescents. Setting-Tertiary care centre/university hospital. Design-Retrospective study. Methods and results-85 patients (aged

Coarctation of the aorta is an important, treatable cause of secondary hypertension. Its prevalence varies from 5% to 8% of all congenital heart defects. This condition is most often detected because of a murmur or hypertension found on routine examination. Delayed or absent femoral pulses and an arm/leg systolic blood pressure difference of 20 mm Hg or more in favor of the arms may be considered as evidence for aortic coarctation. The coarctation may be demonstrated on a suprasternal notch two-dimensional echocardiographic view along with increased Doppler flow velocities across the coarctation site. Cardiac catheterization reveals significant systolic pressure gradient (> 20 mm Hg) across the coarctation and angiography demonstrates the degree and type of aortic narrowing. Aortic obstruction may be relieved by surgery or by transcatheter techniques; the latter include balloon angioplasty and stent implantation. In the past, surgery has been used exclusively, but because of morbidity and complications associated with surgery, catheter techniques are increasingly used in the management of aortic coarctation. Balloon angioplasty in children and stents in adolescents and adults are becoming initial therapeutic options for management of coarctation. Studies evaluating long-term follow-up results of the interventional techniques are needed.

The data indicate that the degree of relief from aortic coarctation and the frequency with which reintervention is needed are similar in both groups. However, the morbidity and complication rates are lower with balloon than with surgical therapy. These data suggest that balloon angioplasty may be an acceptable alternative to surgical correction in the treatment of symptomatic aortic coarctation in infants < or = 3 months old.

During the 35 month period ending December 1987, 30 children, aged 14 days to 13 years, underwent balloon angioplasty of unoperated aortic coarctation with resultant reduction in coarctation gradient from 43.6 +/- 20.4 to 9.5 +/- 7.6 mm Hg (p less than 0.001). None of the patients required immediate surgical intervention. On the basis of results of 6 to 30 month follow-up catheterization data in 20 children, the patients were classified as follows: Group A, 13 patients with good results (gradient less than or equal to 20 mm Hg and no recoarctation on angiograms) and Group B, 7 patients with fair or poor results (gradient greater than 21 mm Hg with or without recoarctation on angiography). No patient developed aortic aneurysm at the site of angioplasty. Thirty variables were examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis and four factors were identified as risk factors for development of recoarctation: 1) age less than 12 months, 2) aortic isthmus less than 2/3 the size of the ascending aorta immediately proximal to the right innominate artery, 3) coarcted aortic segment less than 3.5 mm before dilation, and 4) coarcted aortic segment less than 6 mm after angioplasty. The identification of risk factors may help in selection of patients for balloon angioplasty. Avoiding or minimizing the number of risk factors may help reduce the chance of recoarctation after angioplasty. The intermediate-term follow-up results with regard to recoarctation are comparable with those after surgical repair of coarctation. Recoarctation after angioplasty was dealt with by repeat balloon angioplasty or surgical resection for those requiring treatment and clinical follow-up for the remaining children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fontan operation, since its original description, has undergone a number of modifications so that it is now a staged, total cavo-pulmonary connection with fenestration. Stage I is palliation, depending upon the pathophysiology of the defect complex in early life, Stage II is bidirectional Glenn at about the age of 6 mo and Stage III is transfer of inferior vena caval blood to the pulmonary circuit along with fenestration between 2 to 4 y. Any patient that has only one functioning ventricle is a candidate for Fontan surgery. The morbidity and mortality have remarkably improved since the institution of staged, total cavo-pulmonary connection with fenestration. Complications during follow up continue to occur, though diminished with the newer modifications, and should be promptly addressed.